Find out how popular the last name Henley is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Henley.

Henley, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Henley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Henley in America

Henley is the 1717th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Henley surname appeared 20,934 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Henley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Henley to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Henley

The surname Henley is of English origin, derived from the place name Henley, which can be traced back to the Old English words "hēan" meaning "high" and "lēah" meaning "woodland clearing." The name likely originated in the 11th century or earlier, referring to individuals who lived in the elevated woodland clearings of various locations in England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Henlei" in reference to the town of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. The town's name was derived from the same Old English roots, indicating a high clearing in a wooded area.

The surname Henley has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Walter de Henley, a 13th-century English writer and agriculturist who authored the influential treatise "Husbandry" (c. 1286), providing insights into medieval farming practices.

In the realm of literature, the name is closely linked to William Ernest Henley (1849-1903), a prominent English poet, critic, and editor. He is best known for his poetry collection "In Hospital" and his iconic poem "Invictus," which has inspired generations with its message of resilience and unconquerable spirit.

Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Henley (1786-1841), an English engineer and inventor who contributed significantly to the development of early steam engines and assisted in the construction of the famous Menai Suspension Bridge in Wales.

In the field of sports, Sir Walter Henley (1856-1939) was a notable English cricketer who played for Middlesex County Cricket Club and was inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame in 2009.

The name Henley has also been associated with places, such as Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire, and Henley Brook in Western Australia, further cementing its historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Henley

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Henley.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Henley was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Henley has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Henley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Henley, please contact us.

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